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TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.10.24

TDMST Weekly Round-Up 2026.10.24 is the trucking commentary on news affecting professional truck drivers for the week ending October 24, 2026, written by Vicki Simons.

I welcome your comments, thoughts and feedback on the items of your choice below.

TDMST Weekly Round-Up

1. Regarding Diesel, Fuel, Fuel Card, Hydrogen, and Oil:

Diesel

Summarizing the first two paragraphs of the October 22, 2026, article entitled “Seven States Declare Fuel Emergencies as Trump’s War Pushes Global Energy Supplies Into Catastrophic Shortage“:

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  • Seven states have declared fuel emergencies: Texas, North Dakota, Illinois, Kentucky, Maryland, Michigan, and Nebraska.
  • Emergency orders are suspending trucking regulations to address fuel supply disruptions, which the author interprets as evidence of a worsening supply-chain crisis.
  • Fuel shortages are becoming visible: Empty gas pumps in Omaha and La Vista, Nebraska, are cited as signs of a broader supply shock.
  • The author claims to have predicted the crisis in March, warning that the U.S. power grid and diesel supply chain were under increasing strain.
  • The author rejects the media’s explanation that the shortages are merely local logistics or trucking problems.
  • The author blames the war with Iran, launched by Trump, for triggering a global energy shock that is now affecting the United States.
  • The author expects the crisis to worsen, predicting that more states will declare fuel emergencies and criticizing the White House’s response as overly optimistic.

The last major section of the article — entitled, “What I’m Doing About It — And What I’d Tell You to Do” — is not specific for professional truck drivers, but may be appropriate for your home support team members.

I am concerned about truckers who must idle their trucks in order to stay comfortable.

What are your workarounds for staying comfortable?

Finally, of the articles in this section that mention the IRS (Internal Revenue Service) regarding red-dye diesel, from this one — IRS weighs in on red-dye diesel tax relief — we read:

  • “On Wednesday, Oct. 14, the IRS announced it will not impose a penalty when dyed diesel fuel is sold for use or used on highways. The tax relief is retroactive to Oct. 1”; and
  • “Each state will have to issue their own order if they want to exempt taxes on dyed diesel used on public highways”.

The rest of the articles in this section:

Fuel

So that you can track the price of fuel:

In an effort to save as much fuel as possible, here are a few of the articles on this site dealing with aerodynamics:

Now this week’s articles on this topic:

Fuel Card

According to the article in this section, the CEO of the company said, “The ACERTUS Fuel Card puts immediate, measurable savings and stronger financial controls directly in carriers’ hands. When our carriers operate more efficiently, our entire network and our customers benefit.”

If you use this fuel card, would you please write a service review?

Hydrogen

Oil

2. Regarding Future, Holiday, and Recovery:

Future

Holiday

Recovery

The articles in this section are not like recovering stolen items.

Rather, this is about financial or economic recovery.

3. Regarding ATA, Brokers, Business, Canada, Chameleon Carriers, Decisions, and Recalls:

ATA

Brokers

Business

Canada

Chameleon Carriers

For background on chameleon carriers, please read:

The Anatomy of a Chameleon Carrier Empire. How They Build It.

Decisions

Recalls

If your tractor or trailer is under a recall, please have the work attended to as soon as possible.

4. Regarding Autonomous Vehicles, Carbon, and Electric Vehicles:

Autonomous Vehicles

I completely oppose the operation of autonomous, driverless, or self-driving commercial motor vehicles on the same roads as the motoring public — but I share articles on this topic with my readers to help us stay current on the topic.

Carbon

Electric Vehicles

It could be that with the price of fuel being so high right now, that truckers and trucking companies are looking at alternatives.

Before you buy an all-electric Commercial Motor Vehicle, please do your due diligence by asking some questions and getting answers.

5. Regarding Crashes, Drugs, Fatalities, Fraud, Injury, and Road Rage:

Crashes

Please look through these articles to see if there is anything you can learn to help you prevent being involved in a similar crash.

Drugs

Never ever haul or take illegal drugs.

Fatalities

According to the Bureau of Transportation Statistics, as it concerns a “highway”:

Fatality means any injury which results in the death of a person at the time of the motor vehicle accident or within 30 days of the accident.

I express my deep sympathy — and offer my condolences — to the families of those whose loved ones died.

Can you learn anything from the articles below that would help prevent being involved in a fatal large truck crash?

Fraud

Never attempt to deceive, misrepresent something, intentionally pervert the truth, or pretend to be someone else for the purpose of trying to get something valuable.

Injury

May the Lord heal these people!

Road Rage

Seek to avoid road rage incidents.

6. Regarding Smuggling, Staged, Theft, Violations, and Violence:

Smuggling

Never ever transport people made in the image of God as if they were cattle or cargo — no matter how large of an incentive you’ve been offered.

And don’t attempt to smuggle illegal products.

Staged

Theft

Never take something that doesn’t belong to you unless you have permission from the owner.

With as much surveillance equipment as is in place in the 21st century, it’s only a matter of time before the thieves are apprehended.

Please bear in mind that, should the economy worsen, the temptation will increase for people to hijack trucks and steal the contents.

Desperate people do desperate things.

Violations

A lot of violations are found during truck inspections while others are spotted on the road.

Make it your aim as a trucker to do everything in compliance with the law and regulations — even if your trucking company is trying to get you to compromise.

For your convenience, please review these posts:

Now for the news article on this topic:

Violence

It is never right to perpetrate violence upon someone in an unprovoked manner.

All perpetrators of violence must be dealt with in a just legal manner.

7. Regarding Consumers, Economy, Employment, Pay, Rates, Strike, Tariffs, Taxes, and Tolls:

Consumers

One paragraph from the article in this section reads:

The chief economist at Moody’s Analytics, Mark Zandi, estimated this week that the war has cost the average U.S. household the equivalent of almost $2,000, including $1,100 in higher energy prices, $540 in higher interest rates and $360 in military costs. The energy portion is growing by $50 a week at current fuel prices, Zandi said.

Economy

Employment

Pay

Rates

Pay attention to rates and please make sure that the increased price of fuel is built into your calculations.

Strike

Tariffs

For a much better and more thorough explanation about the problems with Trump-issued tariffs, please search for the word “tariffs” in Peggy Hall’s Substack archive.

There’s also a short video on Telegram with this description:

Peter Schiff on Trump’s punitive tariffs against U.S. allies and why all tariffs are paid by the American people, not foreign manufacturers

Now for the article in this section…

Taxes

Tolls

8. Regarding Chains, DataQs, Ice Laws, Self Defense, and Training:

Chains

For reference purposes:

Please bear in mind all snow chain laws.

DataQs

According to the glossary on this site — and according to the site referenced — DataQs are “an FMCSA system that allows carriers and drivers to request and track a review of crash or inspection data that the requester believes is incomplete or incorrect.”

Ice Laws

For reference purposes:

Now for the article:

Self Defense

For reference purposes:

Low Cost Self Defense for Professional Truck Drivers.

Training

9. Regarding Infrastructure, Legal, Parking, Parts, Permits, Routing, and Speed:

Infrastructure

Legal

Parking

Parts

Permits

Routing

When it comes to truck routes, I have addressed this issue on this posts on this site:

Now for the articles in this section:

Speed

No matter how “hot” your load is, obey the speed limit in every jurisdiction where you travel.

10. Regarding Supply Chain, Technology, Tools, and Trailers:

Supply Chain

Technology

Trailers

Tools

11. Regarding Inspections, Safety, Waiver, and Weight:

Inspections

If you keep yourself and your rig in perpetual readiness for an inspection, you’ll never be caught off-guard.

Safety

Waiver

To me, allowing any kind of “waiver” is a slippery slope that can lead to problems.

Weight

12. Regarding Anthem Award, Awards, Image Awards, and Recognition:

This section covers some distinctly different kinds of awards and recognition.

Congratulations to all truckers who have:

  • demonstrated skill and achievement in their work as professional truck drivers;
  • been recognized for that skill and achievement, perhaps for safe driving;
  • been given a tangible reward; or
  • been nominated for or given an award.

Anthem Award

Awards

Image Awards

Recognition

I wish you — and all professional truck drivers — safe travels and lots of money saving opportunities on the road.









Return from TDMST Weekly Round-Up: 2026.10.24 to our TDMST Weekly Round-Up Trucking Commentary or our Truck Drivers Money Saving Tips home page.



Rate Match Guarantee. We'll meet or beat your current rate. DAT Outgo.
Factoring that pays faster. Super fast funding speeds. DAT Outgo.
Factor smarter, faster, and save. Keep more of what you earn. DAT Outgo.
Truckers, for all that you do all year long... thanks!
Factor with more freedom. Non-recourse + no annual contracts. DAT Outgo.